The Degree of Pocahontas are the

female auxiliary Fraternal orders often have "side degrees", auxiliaries or appendant (as opposed to primary). Some of these are created as female "sister organizations", youth organizations or side degrees proper which are organizations associated with or within t ...

of the

Improved Order of Red Men The Improved Order of Red Men is a fraternal organization established in North America in 1834. Their rituals and regalia are modeled after those assumed by men of the era to be used by Native Americans. Despite the name, the order was formed ...

, an American fraternal order. Despite using names based on common non-Native ideas about Native Americans, it was formed solely by and for, white women. Membership is now open to patriotic American women of every race.

History

The Degree was founded in Elmira,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. The idea of creating a female Degree was first broached in the early 1850s, however it wasn't until the IORMs "Great Council" of 1885 that Degree was approved. The first local chapter was the Wenonah Council, #1 of

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, whose "Council Fire was lighted on the 28th Sleep of Cold Moon, G. S. D. 396 (February 28, 1887) at the 828 Red Men's Wigwam

Race Street ''Race Street'' is a 1948 American crime film noir directed by Edwin L. Marin. The drama features George Raft, William Bendix and Marilyn Maxwell. It was one of several collaborations between Raft and Marin. Plot When his bookie pal Hal is k ...

in that city."

Organization

Local units are called "Councils" and meeting places " Tepees". The president of a local Council is called "

Pocahontas Pocahontas (, ; born Amonute, known as Matoaka, 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman, belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter of ...

" and is assisted by a "

Powatan The Powhatan people (; also spelled Powatan) may refer to any of the indigenous Algonquian people that are traditionally from eastern Virginia. All of the Powhatan groups descend from the Powhatan Confederacy The Powhatan people (; a ...

", a male counselor. The immediate past president is called a "Prophetess". Other officials of a local Council include the "Wenonah", the "Keeper of

Wampum Wampum is a traditional shell bead of the Eastern Woodlands tribes of Native Americans. It includes white shell beads hand-fashioned from the North Atlantic channeled whelk shell and white and purple beads made from the quahog or Western Nort ...

" and the "Keeper of Records". The state level of the organization is similar to the local level. Statewide organizations are called "Great Councils" and their presidents are called "Great Pocahontases". The National Degree of Pocahontases is made up of Past Great Pocahontases and elects a Board of Great Chiefs from its number. The Board of Great Chiefs consists of seven officers: "National Pocahontas", "National Wenonah", "National

Minnehaha Minnehaha is a Native American woman documented in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1855 epic poem ''The Song of Hiawatha''. She is the lover of the titular protagonist Hiawatha and comes to a tragic end. The name, often said to mean "laughing wat ...

", " National Prophetess", "National Keeper of Records", "National Keeper of Wampum" and "National Collector of Wampum". This board operates under the supervision and authority of the Great Council of the United States of the IORM. A youth auxiliary was founded in 1952, the Degree of Anona. This degree was not very popular, however, mustering only 90 local Councils and less than 5,000 members in 1979, principally in

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

Membership

In 1907 the Degree had 26,000 members. As of January 1, 1921, the Degree claimed 120,000 members, averaging approximately 70 per each Council. In 1977 there were 22,827 members which represented a drop of 1,731 from the previous "two Great Suns", or two years. In the early 1920s, membership was open only to white women over 18, who were of good moral character and "a firm belief evidenced by life and act, and not mere declaration alone in the existence in the

Great Spirit The Great Spirit is the concept of a life force, a Supreme Being or god known more specifically as Wakan Tanka in Lakota,Ostler, Jeffry. ''The Plains Sioux and U.S. Colonialism from Lewis and Clark to Wounded Knee''. Cambridge University Press, ...

- God - in whose hands all power is, and to whom all are accountable."

Ritual

The order has a secret ritual, signs and passwords. New members are required to attend an initiation ceremony. The Degree's sign of recognition was a right hand raised to face level with the two fore fingers extended, the last two fingers closed, and the thumb on the third finger, signifying "Who are you?" The correct answer was the same gesture with the left hand meaning "A friend".

Philanthropy

They have provided financial support to fight communism.Schmidt p.261

References

External links

* {{Authority control Organizations established in 1887 Improved Order of Red Men Women's organizations based in the United States